The James Bond franchise is abuzz with speculation and rumors following Amazon's acquisition of full creative control over 007. The identity of the next actor to don the iconic tuxedo remains a mystery, but a recent report from The Mail on Sunday sheds some light on what fans can expect. According to an internal memo circulated by Amazon, James Bond will continue to be a man and will remain British or from the Commonwealth, dashing any hopes of seeing actors like Ryan Gosling in the role. This news is likely to be welcomed by Pierce Brosnan, the Irish actor who portrayed Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002. Brosnan, speaking to The Telegraph, emphasized that 007 should indeed be British.

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The possibility of an actor from the Commonwealth has sparked interest in Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, who has previously expressed his enthusiasm for playing the character. In a 2019 interview with Balance magazine, Hemsworth, known for his roles in Thor and Extraction, mentioned his performance as British Formula One driver James Hunt in Rush as a potential "audition tape" for Bond. He stated, "When we were shooting Rush someone had said that and I thought, 'Cool, if this is my audition tape, then great.' I don’t think you’ll ever meet anyone who doesn’t want to have a crack at James Bond. I’d love to do it." Hemsworth acknowledged that the decision is in the hands of Bond fans, Barbara Broccoli, and the entire crew, describing it as an "organic decision." Following the Mail on Sunday's report, speculation about Hemsworth's potential casting has intensified, with The Today Show Australia confidently proclaiming, "It's a surety. He is in."

Concerns about the future of the James Bond franchise persist after Amazon's acquisition and the stepping back of long-time producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson. Amid rumors of a potential Bond TV series, Variety reported that a new Bond film remains the "top priority." Amazon's first step will be to find a producer for the franchise, with David Heyman, known for his work on the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, being the type of producer they are looking for.

Christopher Nolan, who reportedly expressed interest in directing a Bond film after Tenet, was allegedly turned down by Broccoli, who insisted that no director would have "final cut" under her leadership. Nolan went on to direct Oppenheimer, which was a massive success, earning nearly $1 billion globally and winning multiple Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Amazon's control over Bond has not been well-received by everyone. When asked during a Reddit AMA about directing a Bond movie, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey bluntly stated, "No, because f**k Jeff Bezos."

Fans are eager to know who will be the next James Bond. While names like Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been floated, Henry Cavill, known for his roles in Superman and The Witcher, remains the fan-favorite.

According to Variety, Amazon cannot proceed with hiring for the Bond franchise until the closure of its deal with Broccoli and Wilson, expected later this year. This follows reports from the Wall Street Journal describing a tense stalemate between the Broccoli family and Amazon, which acquired the rights to release Bond movies after purchasing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $8.45 billion in 2021. The situation has left the future of James Bond "on pause," with Amazon and Eon yet to issue any comments on the matter.